In discontinuous recording in the operation of a video magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, interruption of the recording takes place during the pause period, and after such pause period the re-start of the recording takes place. With regard to the video signals recorded on a magnetic tape used for video magnetic recording and reproducing, the continuity of the video picture between the picture recorded before such pause and the picture recorded after such re-start should be maintained, because some disturbances of the picture tend to occur at the transition portion of the recorded picture.
In prior art systems for carrying out discontinuous recording, for example, a method is used in which the magnetic tape is rewound to a predetermined length of the magnetic tape during the pause period by rotating the supply reel backwardly, and after the re-start of the recording the phase coinciding process is carried out between the recorded synchronization signals picked up by a control head and the synchronization signals which are being recorded, and after the phase coincidence has been established the recording is re-started.
However, in this method there is a problem that a portion of the new video signals tends to be recorded overlapping the formerly recorded video signals due to the difference between the length of the magnetic tape which is rewound and the length of the magnetic tape which is necessary for the phase coinciding process. In consequence, there is a problem that the quality of the reproduced picture tends to be deteriorated. Such prior art system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-114084, corresponding to U.S. patent application No. 123644 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,797.